2019 Skoda Kodiaq RS teased ahead of Paris reveal

Skoda has previewed its upcoming Kodiaq RS once again, ahead of its full reveal at the Paris motor show in October.

The Czech brand released a pair of shadowy teasers this week, with the ‘RS’ badging and large alloy wheels partially visible.

It appears the new performance SUV will be launched with a new shade of blue, though the overall design won’t stray far from the current Kodiaq Sportline specification.

At this stage, we already know the Kodiaq RS will be powered by a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel making 176kW of power and 500Nm of torque. This is a powertrain shared with parent Volkswagen, already doing service in the Passat and related Tiguan in overseas markets.

In the Tiguan, the engine is paired to a seven-speed DSG with 4Motion all-wheel drive, good for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds. We’d expect the Kodiaq to get similar numbers, though its larger size could see it achieve triple figures a few tenths slower.

The twin-turbo diesel is the most powerful production diesel engine in Skoda’s history.

Further to its powertrain, the Kodiaq RS will debut the company’s new ‘RS’ logo, which features a red ‘v’ that stands for ‘victory’ and symbolises the “sportiness and power of the RS family”.

Skoda will reveal the Kodiaq RS in full at the Paris motor show in October. Stay tuned for our coverage.

Australia

Speaking with CarAdvice in June, Paul Pottinger, communications boss for Skoda’s local division, said the Kodiaq RS is an unlikely starter for Australia – at least for the time being – as the 176TDI is currently not available for ‘hot climate’ regions like Australia.

However, Pottinger noted that the Australian arm of the Volkswagen Group is “actively addressing” our region’s ‘hot climate’ designation, which is also responsible for locally-bound Volkswagen Golf R models being detuned compared to their European equivalents.

When asked if the Kodiaq RS will be offered with a second powertrain, such as the 206TSI petrol available in the Superb, Pottinger said it’s “unlikely” for such a “specialised vehicle” to be offered with two engine options.